During her recent visit to New Zealand, Erin Larkin of The Wine Advocate joined us for a retrospective tasting that she described as “monumental”.
32 vintages of Kumeu River Chardonnay, including wines dating back over two decades. Among these was the newly released 2024 Single Vineyard Chardonnays, which Erin praised as being “up there with the best of them: 2022, 2020, 2014…”
Her full tasting notes and scores for the 2024 vintage are below:
2024 Kumeu River Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay: 95 - 97 pts
Drink Date: 2025 - 2039
The 2024 Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay is mouth-filling and full, easily the biggest and most powerful of the single-vineyard Chardonnays in this 2024 release. "In terms of quality, 2024 is up there with the best of them: 2022, 2020, 2014..." This feels perhaps as statuesque and thrilling as the best of the Maté's so far, with intensity that explodes in every direction on the palate—length and width—with spicy top notes and a thunderous base of yellow fruit. The acidity, as usual, coils and weaves its way across the palate, lacing together the fruit and phenolics with seamless intensity. This is very good.
2024 Kumeu River Coddington Chardonnay: 94 - 96 pts
Drink Date: 2025 - 2039
The 2024 Coddington Chardonnay is alive on the palate with preserved lemon rind, tendrils of crushed shells and layers of brine. It is electric, in its way. There are salted and crushed nuts on the middle palate and length, which uncoils through the finish that allows a second and third look at the detail inherent within. This is very exciting and also creamy. It was tasted as a tank sample prior to filtration and bottling.
2024 Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay: 93 - 95 pts
Drink Date: 2025 - 2039
The 2024 Hunting Hill Chardonnay is the ripest in alcohol of the 2024 releases, and it feels powerfully layered and driven on the palate. This is rich, almost thunderous in its positioning, with salted citrus and exotic spices (star anise/fennel/scraped vanilla pod). The oak here is polished and elegant, smoothing down any stray, loose hairs. The barrels have been air-dried for three years and lightly toasted. The finish is tight and focused. This was tasted as a tank sample prior to filtration and bottling.
2024 Kumeu River Rays Road Chardonnay: 92 - 94 pts
Drink Date: 2025 - 2039
The 2024 Rays Road Chardonnay leads with a spicy, almost exotic nose, while the palate strides in smooth, sleek movements. This is creamy and a little nutty, and there are wet limestone notes in the mouth, alongside yellow citrus and layers of dried herbs, cracked fennel seeds, ginger root and fruit flavors. A lovely wine, it's weighted on the back palate and long through the finish. I tasted this as a tank sample prior to filtration and bottling. The Ray's Road vineyard is on a limestone base and has been significantly worked and replanted since the Kumeu River purchase in 2021.
2024 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay: 90 - 92 pts
Drink Date: 2025 - 2034
The 2024 Estate Chardonnay is floral and tightly coiled, with a scratched lime backbone. It's not as complex as the Ray's Road tasted alongside, yet it's utterly composed and restrained. It is mineral and very good indeed. This was tasted as a tank sample prior to filtration and bottling.
The full article and scores from the retrospective tasting can be found on Robert Parker's website here - Please note there is a pay wall to read the full review.